10 years of the Beach Google & YouTube at Cannes Lions
Cannes Lions is the world’s largest gathering of the creative marketing community, a five-day festival celebrating innovation and brand storytelling. For over a decade, we designed and delivered the Beach – a temporary creative space on the Croisette where Google and YouTube engaged festival-goers through product demos, talks, dinners, and parties.
What began as a modest activation grew year on year into a landmark destination at Cannes. Some years it carried the Google brand, other years YouTube took centre stage – but every edition was designed from scratch around a fresh theme. The Beach became a showcase not only for content and product innovation, but also for the brands’ evolving commitment to sustainability in live experiences.
Challenge
Create a dynamic, high-impact environment that reflected the identity of Google or YouTube while standing out in one of the world’s most competitive creative arenas – all within the constraints of a temporary beach build. Over time, the challenge expanded to include a focus on sustainable design and material use.
My Role
➡ Interpreted top-line briefs and translated them into spatial concepts.
➡ Designed client-facing presentations to align Google/YouTube stakeholders.
➡ Developed annual event identities and look & feel.
➡ Oversaw teams of designers, guiding execution across all touchpoints.
➡ Directed and artworked graphics, signage, and on-screen content.
➡ Reviewed and approved production samples to ensure accuracy and quality.
Sustainability Evolution
Across 10 years, the project pioneered more sustainable approaches to temporary architecture:
➡ Reduced single-use items by printing direct to wood, minimising vinyl, paper, and plastic.
➡ Structures built from hired scaffolding, boards, and pallet crates, all returned into circulation post-event.
➡ Printed signage/collateral reduced in favour of hired digital screens, further cutting waste.
Impact
Over a decade, the Beach became one of Cannes Lions’ most recognisable and anticipated destinations. It scaled from a small activation into a flagship hub for networking, talks, and entertainment – while also setting a new benchmark for sustainable, large-scale brand environments at the festival.
